


The Only Room With A View (Is A Room With You)

by Yeah_Im_A_Streetlight



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Complicated - Freeform, Eliza loves Alex, F/M, Hamliza, Henry Laurens is awful, John and Eliza have senator fathers, M/M, also LAMS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 06:54:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12271221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeah_Im_A_Streetlight/pseuds/Yeah_Im_A_Streetlight
Summary: “Nice posters,” Alex smirked, looking at the walls.“I wasn't always nineteen, you know.”“Yeah.”There was an awkward pause, then Alex blurted out, “John and I broke up.”“Wait. What?”Or, Eliza's crushing on Alex. He's dating John. Alex is crushing on Eliza. And John is just awesome.





	The Only Room With A View (Is A Room With You)

The first time she'd laid eyes on Alexander Hamilton, Eliza Schuyler had been in love.

Not in the sappy way that she hated so much. In the way that he was gorgeous, and she felt like they had never NOT known one another.

It wasn’t really something that was avoidable, in her opinion. Alex had the most beautiful eyes, the most perfect expressions, a way of looking at people that made everyone feel like they were the person he cared most about in the whole world. He was so intelligent, and so funny, and just overall perfect.

She couldn’t help it when she was still in high school, when her sister Angelica had come home from college with a boy on her arm. Since Angelica had recently come out to the family as a lesbian, everyone was a bit confused. She had introduced the boy by simply saying, “This is Alex. He is not my boyfriend. He’s Puerto Rican, and his parents are no longer alive, and he didn’t have anywhere to stay over break, so he’s going to be staying here. Any questions? No? Good.” 

Eliza’s parents had fussed over Alex a bit, because he was the first boy any of the sisters had brought home. Due to this, Eliza hadn’t really gotten a good look at him. 

 

To her luck, she sat across from him the next day at dinner. 

Or was it really lucky? The moment she sat down she knew she was in trouble. Alex glanced at her and gave her the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen. Eliza could feel her heart swelling, smashing, mending, and pulsing all at once. She looked at Peggy very directly for the rest of the night.

So when she got to college and found herself in a sophomore class on her first day, and walked inside to see Alex, she couldn’t help melting. She could feel herself in a puddle on the floor, half expecting to see people stepping through her as though she was as insignificant as a rainwater pool. 

And when she had been accepted into Alex’s gang of friends, she felt like she was on top of the world. 

The only problem was John Laurens. 

He wasn’t a problem, really… he was the sweetest guy she knew, really kind, smart, and caring, and he was always drawing turtles. She had a picture of her face on a turtle’s body pinned over her bed- it wasn’t as disturbing as it may have sounded. It was surprisingly realistic. 

The problem was that John liked Alex. And everyone knew it… except for Alex. And Eliza couldn’t help but feel a little lucky at this fact- if Alex didn’t like John anymore, maybe he would like Eliza. In theory.

When they started going out, her heart had broken a little.

“We have some news,” Alex had announced with a smile on his face.

“We’re dating!” John blurted, always unable to hide his emotions. 

They were scattered with praises, and compliments, and Eliza had tried to be happy.

“Congratulations, you guys,” she had murmured, and everyone seemed to know her heart wasn’t in it. She had given both men a kiss on the cheek, and she felt her lips burn after they touched Alex. He grinned back at her.

“Thanks, Bets!”

She melted when he used that nickname, a name that no one else was allowed to call her by.

That evening, Herc and Angelica had found Eliza in a library corner.

“‘Liza, what’s going on?” Angelica stated boldly.

They had eventually wormed the truth out of Eliza, and Herc whistled sadly.

“Damn. That blows, sorry, kid.”

“I’m sorry I have to say this… but I think you’re just going to have to live with it. There’s nothing you can do, unless you want to turn into some kind of sabotager,” Angelica told her darkly, “Just… be. Things will work out.”

“Wow, you sound pretty sure.”

“Oh, I’m not. I’m just a good actress.”

It wasn’t exactly reassuring. 

Alex and Eliza had a tradition. It was newly formed, but still important. The two of them met for coffee every Thursday morning at eight, and gossiped. Eliza found it very eventful, when she didn’t spend the whole time gazing at Alex with passion and awe. His features were so animated when he was excited, and his eyes lit up when he looked at her. 

Was that a sign? She wasn’t sure, but it did make her stomach jump around a bit. 

And then Henry Laurens had come onto the scene. 

He had tracked down John, who had run away at the end of high school after coming out. 

He had just appeared one day, and showed up at John’s dorm. Eliza had answered the door.

“Hello?” the man had asked her, “Is this… John Laurens’ dorm?”

“Um,” Eliza had replied, “who exactly… are you?”

“Senator Henry Laurens,” the man announced, and puffed out his chest, as though hoping that Eliza would know all about him. She did, actually, having a senator for a father did help with that sort of thing. She remembered her father’s long winded rants at dinner almost every night, most often about the South Carolina senator… Henry Laurens. 

“Your father’s a senator?” Eliza heard Alex ask John from somewhere behind her.

“Are you John’s girlfriend?” Henry asked Eliza eagerly.

“Uh,” Eliza replied.

“No,” Alex said, stepping out from behind Eliza, “Eliza’s my girlfriend. Come in, Mr. Laurens, your son is inside.”

Eliza’s heart had started beating twice as fast when Alex had stated, so casually that they were dating.

“What the hell?” she hissed in his ear.

“Just go along with it! I don’t want him to hurt John, it works better this way,” Alex hissed back. 

But, was it Eliza’s imagination, or was he blushing slightly? There were far easier ways to overcome this barrier without involving Eliza…

“Son.” Senator Laurens’ voice was bold, sharp.

“Father.”

“Your siblings have been desperate for you, you know. It was Martha who begged me to track you down.”

“Martha knows perfectly well that I’m fine.”

“I thought I told you not to keep in contact with her, John,” Henry scowled, “She needs to focus on her studies.”

“From what I hear, she’s doing perfectly fine, Pops,” John said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“What I came here for,” Henry said loudly, “is to ask if you’re ready to come back home? Are you, shall we say…cured?” 

“Cured of what, exactly?” Eliza butted in. She knew she shouldn’t, but John’s face was getting so red, and Alex seemed to be too shocked to get a word out.

“I’m sure John neglected to mention his, er, condition to such a beautiful woman like you?” Henry said.

“Oh my god,” Eliza started, “This is completely insane. I had wondered why my father warned me about you…”

“Oh? And who is your father?” 

“Philip Schuyler,” Eliza said, arms crossed, “and I'd thank you to get out of this room right now. John clearly doesn't want you here, Alex doesn't, I sure as hell don't, and it doesn't seem like you want to be here. The exit is that way.”

John smiled at her the best he could, but Alex seemed to finally be getting his voice back.

“I can't imagine you being burdened with John’s problems. But then again, if you're a Schuyler, you've seen no shortage of sights…”

“You shut up about her!”

Eliza spun around to see Alex, face bright red and fiats clenched.

“Alex- I can handle this-,”

“No! You don't come into John’s room and… and hit on my… my girlfriend! Also. I don't know if you've lived the last fifty years, but being gay is not a condition. I don't know what your problem is, but Eliza's right. Get. The hell. Away.” 

Eliza had never seen Alex so deadly, and John apparently hadn't either- he stepped closer to Eliza to raise his eyebrows at the scruffy kid in front of them, telling off a senator. 

“Gotta hand it to him,” John whispered, “the kid has class.”

 

Henry Lauren's had finally left. John, Alex, Eliza, plus a large group of friends, were cuddled on John’s couch, watching movies. Alex rolled beside her.

“Hey,” he smiled brightly.

“Hey,” she replied, “can I ask you? Why did you say we were dating?”

Alex went red. “I don't know. It seemed… this sounds creepy, but it seemed kinda… natural? At the moment? I hope that doesn't sound really weird.”

“No,” she smiled sadly, “no, it doesn't. It sounds totally fine. Thanks, by the way, for what you did.”

“Aw, sorry about that,” Alex winced, “I know you were fine, you were really awesome by yourself- better stuff than what I said, anyway… but. He was being a jerk.”

“Oh, he wasn't being one,” Eliza laughed, “he is one.”

“True,” Alex laughed, “so true.”

 

The next year, Eliza couldn't really say things were better.

She was still madly in love with Alex. He was still dating John.

And then they both went off grid for a week and a half.

She was completely terrified- it was winter break, and she knew they were both still at school, but neither John nor Alex would pick up their phones. No one else could reach them either. She thought they were dead in a ditch, and tried to drive back to New York City.

Then her mother knocked on her bedroom door.

“Eliza?”

“Yeah, Mom?”

“You have a… visitor.”

The door opened, and the last person Eliza was expecting stepped inside before closing the door behind him.

“Alex?”

“Eliza. I. I have to talk to you.”

“What…”

“Nice posters,” Alex smirked, looking at the walls.

“I wasn't always nineteen, you know.”

“Yeah.”

There was an awkward pause, then Alex blurted out, “John and I broke up.”

“Wait. What?”

“It just wasn't working anymore- we were fighting, and not close anymore…”

“What?!”

“Well, I mean, we’re still friends, but…”

“Oh my god. Alex…”

Eliza wrapped him in a hug, and he muttered an apology against her shoulder.

“Shut up. Don't apologize- I'm so sorry.”

She really was sorry- as much as an evil part of her screamed in celebration, the rest of her wept for her closest friends. Still… he was single…

“Eliza. Remember when Henry Laurens showed up?”

She broke the hug, held him at arms length.

“I wish I didn't. Go on.”

“Well- remember how I said we were dating?”

“Yeah.”

She had no idea where this was going, but listened intently nonetheless.

“And then you asked why?”

“Right.”

“Well, I lied.”

“You.. lied?”

“Yeah. I said it seemed right, at the time. The truth is?”

He sighed, then looked into her eyes.

“The truth is, Eliza… Ikindawishyouwouldgoouteithme,”

“I'm sorry. What?” She laughed, poking his chin up.

“I kinda wish you would go out with me,” he muttered, face dropping again, eyes low. “And I know it's unfair to tell you, when you clearly don't feel the same way, but I just… I kind of…”

Eliza was speechless, gaping at him. He looked like he wished he could crawl into a hole- he thought she was mad, she registered, he thought she wasn't over the moon. 

“I kinda always liked you,” he said quickly, “and I really, really, really always wanted you to say the same thing. That's why I came here. I had to say it. But I'm going to go now, okay?” He said, sounding concerned, as she still hadn't moved, “Eliza? Um… Eliza?”

She finally closed her mouth, then opened it again to speak.

“Really? All- after all this time?”

“Always.”

He didn't seem to notice how happy she was. She had to show him.

Their first kiss was on a twin bed in a mansion in Albany, while Eliza wore sweatpants and cried, and Alex wore jeans and cried even more.

And then she finally smiled and slapped him lightly.

“Wha-,”

“You dork. The only way you could admit to liking me was by waiting for your boyfriend’s homophobic father to show up and to pretend we’re dating so you can admit to me that you like me, and then you don't even work up the courage? Even after it's pretty damn obvious that she's madly in love with you?”

He was speechless, for once.

And then, in the place of words, he leaned forward again.

Their second kiss was in the same spot. Minus the tears.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading this! By the way, if you caught the Harry Potter reference, I applaud you.
> 
>  
> 
> Spoiler- "After all this time?" "Always."


End file.
